Since it was invented in the 1860s, Eggs Benedict has been a posh addition to the breakfast-lunch-brunch menu. It was created by the chef at a tony New York restaurant, Delmonico’s, for a wealthy customer, Mrs. LeGrand Benedict (here’s the history of Eggs Benedict).

The original recipe topped two toasted English muffin halves with round-cut slices of ham, poached eggs; and Hollandaise sauce. Over the years, the more conveniently-shaped Canadian bacon replaced the trimmed ham.

The ham substitutions continued, gaining momentum among creative chefs in modern times. Why not create your own reinvention of Eggs Benedict for Mother’s Day or other special occasion? Select your options from these categories of ingredients:

English Muffin Substitute

Classic Eggs Benedict. Photo courtesy American Egg Board.

Note: You need a type of bread that will soak up the egg yolk. Pita, for example, doesn’t work here. Steer clear of regular pancakes and waffles. They take what should be an elegant dish to McGriddles territory.

Ham/Bacon Substitute

 
What about everyday bacon strips? Eggs Benedict should be a special dish. By all means serve poached eggs with bacon—just not on an English muffin with Hollandaise sauce.

Similarly, fried eggs, sausage and gravy should remain their fine casual selves, and not be adapted into a Benedict-style variation.

Portabella Eggs Benedict, a vegetarian
option. Photo courtesy Mushroom Council.

Hollandaise Sauce Substitute

 
Consider how you can flavor a basic béchamel to match the ham substitute. For example, add dill to the sauce for lobster, horseradish and lemon zest for crab cakes.
 
Garnish

FOOD TRIVIA: THE HISTORY OF BRUNCH

The term, a combination of breakfast and lunch, was coined in the U.K. in 1895 to describe “a Sunday meal for Saturday-night carousers.” This first reference in print was an article in Hunter’s Weekly (source).

Brunch eliminated the need to rise early for breakfast. Instead of the conventional post-church early Sunday dinner, the new meal, served around noon, started with a course of toast, marmalade, tea. coffee and other breakfast foods before moving on to some heartier fare.

And the rest is delicious history.

If you know a mom who loves chocolate and dogs, is there a better Mother’s Day gift than these chocolate pup bonbons?

Made by hand by Gearhearts Chocolates, the milk chocolate bonbons are filled with silky chocolate ganache, which is lightly infused with handmade peanut butter.

And they’re guilt-free: Five percent of sales of Peanut Butter Pups is donated to Companions for Heroes, a not-for-profit organization that matches rescue pets as companion animals to our nation’s wounded veterans.

Read the full review and order yours today.
 

FIND MORE OF OUR FAVORITE CHOCOLATES &
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
CHOCOLATE.

Who can resist these chocolate peanut butter pups? Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.

We were checking out the Caramel Swirls website when this cake caught our eye.

You don’t have to have great cake decorating skills to make an impressive cake at home. Just acquire an impressive cake topper.

In this case, chocolate truffles were used to decorate the cake. If you have a box of chocolates, you can use them to equally good effect. Instead of piling them in the center, space them out around the rim of the cake.

To take it one step further, use a spatula to apply chopped pistachios or other favorite nut to the sides of the cake.

You can purchase chocolate truffles, or use this recipe to make them.

If you want to send the cake to Mom for Mother’s Day, head to CaramelSwirls.com. We haven’t tasted it, but it’s made with fine ingredients: bittersweet chocolate, evaporated cane juice, butter, cage free eggs, cocoa powder, pistachios, chai tea, Earl Grey tea, Grand Marnier and vanilla extract.
 
What’s Your Favorite Cake?

Pick it out in our luscious Cake Glossary.

Have a box of chocolates? Make an impressive cake. Photo courtesy Caramel Swirl.

Looking for something special for Mother’s Day?

Of the products we’ve tried recently, here’s what we’re selected for our mother, aunt and other special moms:

 
See the full review for details.
 
FOOD FACTS

Scones, fresh from the oven, are a treat for Mom. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.

Who wouldn’t enjoy chocolate-covered strawberries for Mother’s Day?

They’re easy to make and delight just about everyone, as a light dessert or as gifts for the moms.

You can use your favorite chocolate (dark, milk, white or all three). You can leave the chocolate-covered berries plain or decorate them with your favorite toppings: chopped nuts, crushed toffee, granola, mini-morsels, shredded coconut or sprinkles.

For the most elegant touch, decorate with gold or silver dragées or some opalescent sanding sugar.

TIP #1: QUALITY CHOCOLATE COUNTS. Your chocolate-covered strawberries will taste better, the better the chocolate you use. We buy fine quality chocolate bars, which are very well priced at Trader Joe’s.

TIP #2: SO DO DRY STRAWBERRIES. The chocolate won’t adhere well if the berries are moist from a thorough washing. Instead of washing the strawberries under running water, pat them with a damp towel to clean; then pat them dry and let them air dry (you can also use a hairdryer on the cold setting).

Mmm…we can’t wait until Mother’s Day.

Nothing says you care like a home-baked cake. For Mother’s Day, bake Mom’s favorite recipe and decorate it to look like a brimmed hat.

It’s actually easy! You can use cake mix, as in the video, or use your own from-scratch recipe. You bake a 9″ and 8″ layers, then trim the 8″ layer to be a 6″ top layer, the “crown” of the hat.

Then, just frost and decorate. Use a piece of real ribbon around the “brim,” add a fresh flower and use and Mom’s favorite candies to decorate the hat. The recipe uses Reese’s Pieces, which look bright and sunny.

Take a look and you’ll agree: It’s a nice way to surprise Mom. It’s also a charming birthday cake.

Like to look at pretty cakes? Check out our Cake Glossary.

An easy way to do something special for Mom is to serve her a cocktail created just for her.

That was the thinking of Sauza Tequila, creator of the Mama Rita Margarita.

Most moms enjoy a Margarita as well as a glass of wine, so here’s a twist that combines both.

The recipe uses agave nectar instead of sugar for a lower-glycemic (and tastier) cocktail.

The Mama Rita Margarita: A Cocktail For
Mother’s Day & Any Day
For one cocktail:
Ingredients

The Mama Rita Margarita, a special cocktail
for Mom. Photo courtesy Sauza Tequila.

Preparation
1. Pour all ingredients over ice in mixing glass.
2. Shake and strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lime slice.

Find more of our favorite cocktail recipes, including the classic Margarita and many variations.

There are just six shopping days left until Mother’s Day.

Still stuck for a special gift idea?

Take a look at these luscious gifts: beautiful chocolates, cakes and, for yoga moms, gingerbread cookies in yoga positions.

 
For a no-calorie delicious gift, try some tea samplers and a glass teapot.

 
All of this is making us hungry. Time for a snack!

No time to bake? Send Mom a flourless
Gateau O Chocolat. Photo by River Soma |
THE NIBBLE.

If you want to send a gift to your mother, grandmother, sister, aunt or other favorite mom, today’s the last day you can order with standard five-day delivery. Tomorrow is possible, but it gets iffy to guarantee delivery by Saturday. (Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 8th.)

We’d like to recommend these exquisite, hand-crafted balls of sugar from Chambre de Sucre.

They are stunning with coffee or tea. Even if Mom doesn’t use sugar herself, guests will long remember being treated to them.

This Sucre Rond (round sugar) is available in 36-piece and 42-piece boxes; square-shaped sugars are available as well.

Food as art: hand decorated sugars are a
beautiful Mother’s Day gift. Photo courtesy
Chambre de Sucre.

Use candied rose petals (shown above) or
freeze-dried rose petals as an easy cake
decoration. Photo courtesy Valerie
Confections | Los Angeles.

You can bake a stunning Mother’s Day cake without professional cake decorating skills. Do it with flowers!

Just use fresh, candied or freeze-dried rose petals to decorate the sides of the cake. It will be stunning. (Crystallized rose petals are small and crunchy, and not appropriate for this type of decoration.)

You’ll need 2-4 cups of rose petals, depending on the size of the cake (don’t tamp down the petals when measuring them or they’ll bruise).

The only caveat is that you need to use organic rose petals. Flowers sprayed with pesticides should not be eaten.

Recipe For Candied Rose Petals

1. Separate 3 eggs; reserve yolks for another purpose.*
2. Whisk the egg whites in small bowl until white and foamy.
3. Brush egg whites on both size of rose petals with a pastry brush. Sprinkle with superfine sugar.
4. Dry on a nonstick rack overnight.

For more of a rose effect, add a teaspoon of rosewater to the cake batter or frosting.

More rose petal recipe ideas.

*Things To Do With 3 Egg Yolks: Pastry cream—used for éclairs—is delicious with fresh fruit; French custard ice cream; baked custard; crème brûlée; from-scratch chocolate pudding. For savory uses, make Béchamel, Bearnaise or Hollandaise sauces; mayonnaise; thicken soups and/or make Greek avgolemono soup.